Stencils for producing composite display

ABSTRACT

A series of stencils for use in sequence to produce a composite display. Each stencil has openings defining a portion of the total display, and pressure sensitive adhesive on one face for temporarily mounting it on the display surface. Registration guide means may be carried by but separable from the first stencil of the sequence, or may be independent elements positioned on the display surface in accordance with the position of the first stencil. Each subsequent stencil carries registration indicator means cooperable with the guide means. The stencils may be transparent and bear indicia indicating the order in which they are to be used and the nature of the display material to be used with them.

United States Patent Wagenvoord [54] STENCILS FOR PRODUCING COMPOSITE DISPLAY [72] Inventor: Anita Wagenvoord, 308 East 94th Street, New York, N.Y. 10028 [22] Filed: Jan. 18, 1971 211 Appl. No.: 107,320

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,328,368 1/l920 Cotili 1,425,597 8/1922 Borie ..35/26 1,552,406 9/ 1925 Akerb1adh.. ..35/26 2,087,564 7/1937 Alpert 10l/128.1 2,201,479 5/1940 Davidson ..35/26 2,293,696 8/ 1 942 Burchell ..35/26 UX 1 1 May 30, 1972 Primary Examiner-Morris Kaplan Att0rney-Breitenfeld & Levine [57] ABSTRACT A series of stencils for use in sequence to produce a composite display. Each stencil has openings defining a portion of the total display, and pressure sensitive adhesive on one face for temporarily mounting it on the display surface. Registration guide means may be carried by but separable from the first stencil of the sequence, or may be independent elements positioned on the display surface in accordance with the position of the first stencil. Each subsequent stencil carries registration indicator means cooperable with the guide means. The stencils may be transparent and bear indicia indicating the order in which they are to be used and the nature of the display material to be used with them.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented May 36, EWYZ INVENTOR. Masuvoono A TTORIIE Y5 This invention relates to producing displays by means of stencils, and more particularly to producing composite displays using a series of stencils in sequence. each stencil overlying substantially the same area as was covered by the stencil used before it.

The invention has particular reference to relatively large displays such as are suitable for application to the wall of a room. However, stencils according to the invention may be of any size.

It is an object of the invention to provide a series of stencils with which a person having no special skill may apply an attractive display to a selected surface to be decorated.

it is another object of the invention to provide stencils which can be temporarily secured to a display surface, without marring the surface, to insure that the stencils do not move while in use and so that both of the user's hands remain free while paint or other decorative material is applied to the surface through each stencil. This feature is especially useful when large stencils are involved.

it is a further object of the invention to provide a series of stencils which are used sequentially, and not simultaneously, and yet in which each stencil can easily be located in perfect registry with the position occupied by the stencils used prior to its use.

Additional objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a face view of the first in a series of stencils chosen to illustrate the present invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are face views of the second and third stencils, respectively, of the series;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a face view showing the first stencil being removed from a display surface after use; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the first stencil.

The series of stencils chosen to illustrate the present invention includes stencil 10 (FIG; 1), stencil 11 (HO. 2) and stencil 12 (FIG. 3). Each stencil is preferably made of a transparent flexible sheet material, such as a suitable plastic sheeting. Polyvinyl chloride and Mylar have been found adequate for the purpose.

Each stencil of the series is formed with openings 13 defining a portion of the total display, the openings being so related that together they are used to produce a composite display, as will be described more fully below. Each stencil bears on its rear surface a pressure sensitive adhesive 14 (FIG. 4) initially covered by a protective covering sheet 15 of readily peelable material.

The stencils may be furnished with indicia in the fonn of numerals 18, to indicate the order in which they are to be used, and letters 19, to indicate the color paint or other decorating material to be used with each stencil. Thus, in the present example, the indicia 18 and 19 indicate that yellow paint is to be employed with the stencil which is used first bearing numeral l green paint is to be employed with the stencil used second bearing numeral 2, and black paint is to be employed with the stencil used third bearing numeral 3."

Near its upper edge, the first stencil 10 in the sequence is provided with registration guide means in the form of two printed marks 20. The other two stencils are each provided with registration indicator means, which in this example are printed marks 21 similar to the marks 20. The spacing between registration indicator marks 21 of each stencil l1 and 12 is the same as the spacing between registration guide marks 20 of stencil 10. In addition, the position of each pair of marks 21 with respect to their respective stencil openings 13 is related to the relative positions of marks 20 and their respective openings 13, so that if stencil 11, for example, were placed upon stencil 10 with marks 21 in registry with marks 20, opening 13 of the two stencils would be in registry, i.e., not necessarily aligned but in proper position with respect to the total display to be produced.

Stencil 10 is provided, in the region between openings 13 and marks 20, with a line of discontinuous slits 24 constituting a line of severance between the main portion of the stencil, having openings 13, and a top margin 25 having guide marks 20.

To use the series of stencils, protective covering 15 is removed from the first stencil 10 in the sequence and the latter is mounted, by means of the pressure sensitive adhesive 14 it carries, on a wall or other display surface 26 (FIG. 5) to be decorated. Stencil 10 is arranged so that its openings 13 overlie the area of the display surface where the display is desired. Paint or other decorating material of appropriate color is then applied to the portions of surface 26 exposed through openings 13, whereby a portion 27 of the composite display is applied to the surface. Thereafter, while holding margin 25 against surface 26, the main portion of stencil 10 is removed, as shown in FIG. 5, the stencil being severed along line- 24 during this operation. in this way, although stencil 10 has been removed, registration guide marks 20 remain. Of utmost importance is that the relationship of guide marks 21 to the display portion 27 is identicalto the relationship between these marks and openings 13 of stencil 10.

After display portion 27 is dry, protective covering 15 is peeled from stencil 1 1 and the latter is adhesively mounted on surface 26 with registration indicator marks 21 overlying guide marks 20. After the portions of surface 26 exposed through openings 13 of stencil 11 are painted, stencil 11 is removed from surface 26, leaving margin 25 in place, and the same procedure is followed with stencil 12,.the latter being mounted with its marks 21 overlying marks 20. After removal of stencil 12 from surface 26, margin 25 is removed, leaving only the composite display formed by the portions painted through holes 13 of the stencils.

Registration guide marks 20 need not necessarily be carried by a part of the first stencil 10 severable from the remainder of the stencil. An alternative arrangement is shown in FIG. 6 wherein the first stencil 10' of the series is formed near its upper edge with holes 20' instead of marks 20. Separate elements 28 are provided which may be of sheet material and carry pressure sensitive adhesive on their rear faces, sized to fit through holes 20'. After stencil 10' is mounted on a display surface, elements 28 are attached to the surface exposed through holes 20', these elements remaining on the display surface to serve as registration guides after stencil 10 is removed.

Stencils 10-12 are preferably transparent since the enjoyment of using the stencils is enhanced if the user can see the display develop as he works. Also, with transparent stencils, guide marks 20 or 28 can be seen as stencils subsequent to the first are mounted, thus making registration of marks 21 with the guide marks easier. However, the stencils need not be transparent and in such case it is preferable for the registration indicator means to be holes, similar to holes 20, rather than marks 21. Of course, even with transparent stencils the registration guides and indicators could be holes. a

The invention has been shown and described in preferred form only, and by way of example, and many variations may be made in the invention which will still be comprised within its spirit. It is understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations are included in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A series of stencils for use in producing a composite dis-' play on a display surface, said stencils being adapted for use in sequence and not simultaneously,

a. each of said stencils comprising:

l. a sheet having openings defining a portion of the total display, and ll. a pressure sensitive adhesive on one face of each sheet for temporarily mounting said sheet on the display surface,

b. a part of the first stencil in the sequence defining registration guide means for temporary application to the display surface at the time the first stencil in the sequence is mounted on the display surface, said part being separable from the remainder of said sheet so that said guide means may remain on the display surface after removal of said first stencil therefrom, and

e. registration indicator means carried by each of said stencils in the sequence subsequent to the first, said indicator means cooperating with said guide means for properly positioning each of said subsequent stencils in a predetermined location on the display surface with respect to the location which was occupied by said first stencil.

2. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 wherein said part is divided from the remainder of said sheet by a line of severance along which said part and remainder of said sheet can be separated from each other.

3. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 wherein said part carries at least one registration marking.

4. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 wherein at least said stencils in the sequence subsequent to the first are formed of transparent material.

5. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 including a protective covering of readily peelable material covering said pressure sensitive adhesive on each of said stencils.

6. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 wherein said registration indicator means are markings.

7. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 wherein said registration indicator means are holes.

8. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 wherein said stencils bear indicia indicating the order in which they are to be used.

9. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said stencils bears indicia indicating the color of display material to be used with it.

10. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 wherein said part of said first stencil is a margin of the sheet forming said stencil.

II l i i i 

1. A series of stencils for use in producing a composite display on a display surface, said stencils being adapted for use in sequence and not simultaneously, a. each of said stencils comprising: I. a sheet having openings defining a portion of the total display, and II. a pressure sensitive adhesive on one face of each sheet for temporarily mounting said sheet on the display surface, b. a part of the first stencil in the sequence defining registration guide means for temporary application to the display surface at the time the first stencil in the sequence is mounted on the display surface, said part being separable from the remainder of said sheet so that said guide means may remain on the display surface after removal of said first stencil therefrom, and c. registration indicator means carried by each of said stencils in the sequence subsequent to the first, said indicator means cooperating with said guide means for properly positioning each of said subsequent stencils in a predetermined location on the display surface with respect to the location which was occupied by said first stencil.
 2. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 wherein said part is divided from the remainder of said sheet by a line of severance along which said part and remainder of said sheet can be separated from each other.
 3. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 wherein said part carries at least one registration marking.
 4. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 wherein at least said stencils in the sequence subsequent to the first are formed of transparent material.
 5. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 including a protective covering of readily peelable material covering said pressure sensitive adhesive on each of said stencils.
 6. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 wherein said registration indicator means are markings.
 7. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 wherein said registration indicator means are holes.
 8. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 wherein said stencils bear indicia indicating the order in which they are to be used.
 9. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said stencils bears indicia indicating the color of display material to be used with it.
 10. A series of stencils as defined in claim 1 wherein said part of said first stencil is a margin of the sheet forming said stencil. 